Current weather

If the J. Strom Thurmond Dam collapsed, anyone living in a subdivision named after a body of water should know their homes are likely in the path of deluge.

The homes in such neighborhoods as Jones Creek, River Island, Creekwalk, Rivershyre, Forest Creek, and many others along the tributaries of the Savannah River would be among those inundated as water from Clarks Hill lake gushes downstream from a dam failure.

Harlem resident Tom Blalock doesn’t have any special method for pruning back his pampas grass, but recently he put three methods to the test to see which one would provide the best results.

“I usually just get out my long-handled bypass garden shears and cut it off a few inches from the ground,” said Blalock. “My wife, Ann, says to use a chain saw and burn the stubble after cutting it about 6 to 8 inches high. This removes the excess dead material. We’ll have to see who has the best idea, but I don’t think I’ll see her using the chain saw. Maybe she can use an electric saw.”

Many weeds cause problems in the lawn this time of year. Weeds such as annual bluegrass, henbit and chickweed have popped up and need to be controlled before spring. These weeds live one growing season, produce seeds and die. The seeds germinate when conditions are favorable, and the process begins again.

Perennial weeds also cause trouble this time of year. These come back each year from roots or seed. The No. 1 perennial weed is the dandelion.

The following accounts were taken from reports from The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office:

Ex-boyfriend title-pawned woman’s car

A Evans woman called authorities Monday after discovering her car had been repossessed.

The 23-year-old woman said her ex-boyfriend forged her signature and pawned the title to her car at Title Max in January. A company repossessed her car on the morning of Feb. 10 from the parking lot of her apartment complex on Old Evans Road.

Three unsolved murders in as many decades in such a large and fast-growing area as Columbia County is a good statistic.

But for the families and friends of the victims, three is three too many.

“We’re not going to give up,” Columbia County sheriff’s Capt. Steve Morris said. “We don’t forget the victims of these heinous crimes or the families. We will continue to pursue these investigations in hopes of bringing them closure and the (perpetrator) to justice.”

Brookwood Elementary School’s library soon will carry the name of the school’s former principal.

Columbia County School Board members Tuesday voted unanimously to approve a request from the school to name the media center in honor of Brenda Jones, who retired as principal at the end of the 2011-12 school year.

A former Harlem High School JROTC instructor accused of having sex with a student will be in court in McDuffie County soon.

Mitchell Sivas’ case is now on the felony pretrial calendar for March 4. The case had been scheduled for September of last year in McDuffie County Superior Court, but was continued due to the illness of Sivas’ attorney, K. Emerson Gilliard.

County officials foresee long lines and frayed tempers this year at the tag office because of a change in state law.

House Bill 386, signed into law last year, purported to eliminate the so-called “birthday tax” vehicle owners pay each year. But county officials are worried that its implementation will create confusion.“We thought it was just a little bit deceitful for the legislators to say, ‘Oh, we did away with the birthday tax,’ because they essentially have not,” said Columbia County Tax Commissioner Kay Allen.

At Kentwood Extended Care, Liz and Nile Peacher are known as the lovebirds.

Mrs. Peacher moved into the facility about a year ago. The couple had lived in Columbia County for nearly 40 years until the progression of Mrs. Peacher’s Alzheimer’s disease left her husband and children needing extra help caring for her. After about two months, Mr. Peacher moved in down the hall.